


Retail Is Not Therapy

by Nanashi_Soldier



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Retail, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 19:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5882329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanashi_Soldier/pseuds/Nanashi_Soldier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Newt wanted was an uneventful shift. However, when one annoying customer comes in, it changes Newt's day entirely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Retail Is Not Therapy

**Author's Note:**

> Who has two thumbs and purchased their Glader Con ticket today. This person right here. So pumped.
> 
> Anyway, I'm halfway through a couple fic updates and should get them up soon. In the meantime, enjoy some Minewt fluff. I have a lot of one shots hanging around. It's amusing... ~~Not really~~
> 
> This is based off an old prompt I stumbled across: "I work at a department store and if you take out and unfold a shirt and then leave it one more time I'm going to stuff it down your throat"

Newt wanted to sigh. It had been a long shift and he just wanted to go home. His leg was bothering him, mostly since they had had him lug some heavy boxes onto the floor to stock a new shipment of t-shirts. Why they thought he should do it was beyond him. Possibly because out of him, Sonya, Thomas, Harriet, and Alby, he was the best at folding things. Then again, Alby was the manager and half his day was spent dealing with annoyed customers or taking phone calls from team members calling out or the district manager calling.

So Newt would gladly accept stocking the shirts over that job. Only Sonya was stuck at the registers, but she was looking through a magazine and chewing her gum. She really didn't take the job seriously but she could sell pretty much anything to anyone. It was probably the main reason why she actually volunteered to hang out up there. That and she couldn't fold a t-shirt or pair of jeans to save her life.

Thomas was attempting to help a girl in the dresses. Even Newt could tell the girl was more interested in Thomas. Although the blond knew Thomas was dense and probably hadn't realized it yet.

Harriet was working on reorganizing the women's apparel. Even Newt could hear her singing the song playing over their radio. The music that corporate forced them to listen to was ridiculous. Most of the songs were unpopular songs from the seventies and eighties with only a handful of more recent songs that were enjoyable to listen to.

Out of the corner of his eye, Newt caught this one customer who always came in and messed up Newt's hard work. Today was without exception. The guy had already undone a couple shirts, setting them right back down without attempting to fold it. The guy was inspecting a t-shirt that Newt actually liked, mostly since it's message was corny but cool. Who wouldn't want a shirt that said "I'm in a secret club". It's true meaning hidden to those who knew the brand.

And down went the shirt, right onto the pile as the Asian male wandered to another display.

The British male wandered to the display, fixing all the t-shirts that were just put out of place. He wanted to huff, maybe cuss out the customer. However, he held his tongue. He needed the job to help pay for school and couldn't afford to lose it.

Newt noticed the look Harriet was giving him as she shook her head. He glanced to his side to see that the guy was taking apart another one of his displays. It just caused him to run his hands down his face as he actually sighed.

He noticed the Asian glance at him before looking at the shirt. It caused Newt to wander over, trying not to storm over there. "Do you need some help?" He tried to act friendly but really just wanted to throttle the other for the mess he always created with every visit.

"I'm just not sure which shirt I like." Newt wanted to roll his eyes because that was obvious. The guy at least left with things, which was probably the only reason why Newt would put up with all of this. Alby would be annoyed if he chased off a usual customer.

"This one is very popular." Newt picked up one of the few shirts that the other hadn't picked up. It was a simple grey shirt that said 'I am enough' on it.

"Is it something you would wear?" The question had Newt blinking. He gazed at the shirt and gave a nod.

"Yeah, I would. The makers of this brand... They do a lot of good behind the scenes. The inspiration for the shirt comes from Maya Angelou. I think it was 'You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.' If I'm remembering right." Newt bought a lot from the brand, more so online since things tended to get released there before it hit his store.

"Hmm..." The Asian hummed as he gazed at the shirt in his hand. "What other shirts would you recommend? Ones you would buy for yourself? I don't trust things unless the employee himself would wear it." Newt gazed at the other before admitting that he would most likely not finish stocking any time soon. He hated being a personal shopper, but he could hear Alby's voice in his head telling him that this was just part of the job.

"Right, well... this one." Newt began to show the other a bunch of different shirts. It was an exhausting half an hour. A half hour that Newt will not get back. He noticed Harriet tossing him pitying looks, as did Thomas when their eyes caught. He saw Sonya giggle, hiding behind her magazine at one point. Even Alby shook his head when he actually managed to get out onto the main floor from dealing with all the issues arising and saw Newt stuck with the same customer for so long.

"I think I have a good wardrobe now." The Asian finally announced, a handful of t-shirts and jeans in hand. And oh how Newt just wanted to say 'thank god' when he heard the words.

"I'm glad you could find things that interested you. They'll look good on you." The blond was sure to try to make his words as polite as possible. But it was hard after half an hour of helping the other pick out clothes and still fixing shirts behind him.

"Thanks to you, Newt." The Asian replied with a bright smile. "I'm Minho, by the way." And with that, the guy headed to the registers. Newt allowed his shoulders to slump and he went back to his box. According to his watch, his shift was almost over. The least he could do was actually get the shirts put out before he left so Thomas wouldn't get stuck with it.

"I thought he would never go away," Harriet slipped over, helping Newt with the shirts.

"You and me both." Newt sighed as he glanced at the registers. Minho was joking with Sonya, who was probably trying to get him to buy more items.

"At least he seemed better than the girl Thomas was left to deal with." Newt knew that Harriet was trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't help.

"Teresa, her name was Teresa. She only told me it about five times, confirmed my name was Thomas twice, and asked me three times if I was single." Thomas grabbed a couple shirts and set them on the display.

"Alby is going to question why we're all over at the same display." Newt grumbled, although Alby probably didn't care since they weren't just standing around talking and were at least stocking.

"So, do we finally get a name for the most annoying customer of the year?" Harriet nudged Newt and the blond just swatted at her.

"His name is Minho." Although Newt couldn't help but admit there was some charm behind the annoying bits. Minho had listened to him talk about the shirts and pants, even gave his insight to things. His smile towards Newt was actually on the fond side, now that he thought about it.

His phone beeping alerted him to the time. He bid his coworkers a good afternoon and went to the back to grab his things. He didn't keep much in the storage room. Mostly his keys, phone, and whatever he brought lunch in.

"Hey, Newt." Sonya waved him over as he tried to escape the jail that was work.

"What's up?" Alby was also at the registers, flipping through the afternoon reading for sales.

"Lover boy left this behind for you." Sonya held out two bags of clothing and Newt knew. He knew it was all the clothing he just helped Minho pick out. "There should be a note in there somewhere." Newt took the bags, a little stunned. "You should give him a call. He's cute, funny, and he's captain of our college's track team." Newt shuffled through the bags and found a long note written on the receipt paper. At the end was a number below Minho's name.

Newt couldn't help but type out a long message before deleting it. He sent a simpler one before grabbing his things and heading home. He could feel the annoyance from the day seep away as he thought about the text and he smiled. One problem solved and he had a date.

_To Minho:_

_I'll go out with you, but if you ever come back into the store and destroy my t-shirt displays again, no one will ever find your body._


End file.
